US Activities

The Yellow Bag Project

The Yellow Bag Project is held twice a year to bring warmth, creativity, and smiles to children in need at Bay Area hospitals. By delivering thoughtfully chosen yellow-themed gifts, the project aims to provide a heartfelt boost of hope, happiness, and comfort to young patients during challenging periods.

Backpack Drive

At the inaugural back-to-school night at Jaswant Singh Khalra Elementary School, over 200 backpacks packed with essential school supplies were distributed to families facing financial hardship or unstable housing. In addition, pre-teen girls received feminine hygiene products, helping to address menstrual stigma that is often present within immigrant communities.

Feed the Hungry

Sahaita launched its Feed-the-Hungry program to serve Northern California communities impacted by homelessness and economic hardship. Volunteers prepare and serve fresh, home-cooked meals through ongoing partnerships with local shelters and soup kitchens. Since its founding, Sahaita has collectively served more than 30,000 meals across the Bay Area.

A meaningful part of this effort includes Sahaita’s partnership with Building Futures for Women and Children, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency housing, safety, and support services to women and families escaping homelessness or domestic violence. Sahaita serves meals at the San Leandro and Alameda Building Futures shelters, ensuring that the residents, including children, receive comforting homemade food. Volunteers are always welcome to join and make a direct impact. Sign up to volunteer today!

Lohri

Every January sparks new beginnings – new opportunities, new milestones, and new life. Lohri is the Punjabi celebration of these moments, especially for newborns and newlyweds. Sahaita celebrates the Lohri of all the abandoned/rescued babies at Bal Ghar nursery in the past year. We honor their new chance at life by collaborating with local organizations to collect essentials for babies and families in need. We have worked with LovedTwice and Union City Family Center, who further extend the donations to the community through social service agencies.

St. Mary's Dining Room

“More than meals”

St. Mary’s offers a variety of services to low-income and unhoused individuals from San Joaquin County and beyond. These include a clothing & hygiene center where individuals can do everything from requesting baby diapers to freshening up with a shower. The on-site social services office provides case management and guidance for utilizing public benefit programs. A medical clinic and dental clinic are on the premises, with volunteer health professionals who donate their time and compassion. Last, but not least, there are free meals – 3 times a day, 365 days a year. That’s over 1,000 opportunities for people to find sustenance and nourishment to get them through the day. Since 2017, Sahaita volunteers have been serving (or dropping off, considering COVID restrictions) hundreds of meals in a single serving period every month. During the COVID pandemic, volunteers also distributed masks and hand sanitizers with each meal.

St. Mary’s Dining Room – Stockton, CA

The Emmanuel House - Salvation Army

“Fill a belly, feed a soul”

The Emmanuel House is an overnight shelter for men in the Silicon Valley and even offers transitional residency for those in need. Sahaita provides meals and other need-based items such as socks and dental hygiene kits on a quarterly basis. Volunteers prepare and serve langar to residents of the shelter and individuals from the public, which makes for an estimated 250 guests each visit. Multiply that by 10+ years and it equates to more than 10,000 meals served by Sahaita at The Emmanuel House. It is one thing to cook/prepare meals or wash dishes, and another to meet the souls behind tired eyes and read the stories laid between wrinkle lines. Often, an individual will return for additional servings and commend volunteers for the most delicious food they have ever tasted. Moments like these remind us how humbling it is to be a tiny win in someone’s uncertain day.

The Emmanuel House – Salvation Army – San Jose, CA